Ayumi
Ayumi (surname unknown) is a minor supporting character of Cyborg 009. A former girlfriend of the 00 cyborg Joe Shimamura, Ayumi maintains a constant presence in Joe's broken memories as he searches to regain what was lost. Appearance Ayumi is a young girl with fair skin and long black hair. At the start of the graphic novel in one of Joe's flashbacks, Ayumi wore a light blue sleeveless tunic, a black belt with a golden buckle, and blue jeans. When Joe briefly encounters her again after fighting Cyborg 0010 Alpha and Omega, she wore a dark gray jacket with yellow buttons, a big blue belt with a golden buckle, black pants, and a long yellow scarf. Her scarf is later worn by Joe as part of his redesigned 00 cyborg uniform. At the end of the graphic novel, when Joe remembers her again, she is seen wearing a light blue, short-sleeved dress with a low back, and a white bracelet. Personality From what little Joe remembers, Ayumi appears to be a kind and compassionate girl whom Joe loved very much. Although they are no longer together, Ayumi remains an important part of his life, being the one whose love redeemed Joe from a troubled delinquent into the altruistic hero he is today. After witnessing Joe getting viciously beat up by thugs sent by her brother, Ayumi believed her boyfriend to be dead, even bringing flowers to the place where he "died". When Joe saw her again while on a trip to Toyko, she is apparently still grieving, as she walks down the streets in a sad mood while ignoring Joe's presence. An image of her can be seen disappearing into the distance during Joe's flashbacks. In the beginning, when she is being taken away from Joe by Kai's thugs, Ayumi symbolizes Joe's desperation to reclaim his past and reunite with Ayumi. However, by the end of the graphic novel, Ayumi symbolizes Joe's letting go of the past and accepting their separation, as she is seen smiling happily before running away. History Ayumi is possibly a member of a wealthy family, who met Joe Shimamura while he was serving time in a juvenile correction facility. It was love at first sight for the both of them, and they planned to elope. However, Ayumi's brother Kai opposed the affair, and he sent hired thugs to retrieve his sister and kill Joe. Ayumi and Joe were later ambushed at a park and separated, with Ayumi being dragged away screaming for Joe as she watched her boyfriend receive a vicious beating. She never saw Joe again. Unbeknownst to Ayumi, Joe survived the beating, having been taken by Black Ghost agents and remodeled into a 00 cyborg. During the conversion, Joe had a chip implanted in his brain that suppressed his memories, leaving him unable to fully remember his past. After the 00 cyborgs rebelled and escaped Black Ghost's captivity, Dr. Gilmore took out the memory chip at Joe's request, causing the young man to remember everything. In a desperate bid to regain his old life, Joe flew back to Tokyo so he can reunite with Ayumi. Joe managed to find Ayumi bringing flowers to the park where he supposedly "died". However, he also met trouble in the form of 0010 Alpha and Omega, who were sent to bring back the rebellious 00 cyborgs. Fortunately, fellow 00 cyborg Francoise Arnoul was able to come to Joe's aid, and together they defeated 0010 Alpha and Omega, resulting in the cyborg twins' deaths. After the battle, Joe caught Ayumi again as she walks forlornly down the streets. A wind blows the yellow scarf she was wearing off her shoulders, but Joe catches it before it flies away. Realizing that Ayumi truly thinks he is dead, Joe uses his Accelerator to travel to a densely populated area of Tokyo. Joe soon ends up at a night club where Kai is staying. After finding Kai, Joe threatens him to leave Ayumi alone and let her make her own choices or else Joe will do the same thing Kai had his thugs do to him all those years ago. After that, Joe and Francoise fly back to Dr. Gilmore's house, but Joe keeps Ayumi's scarf as a memento of her. Later, Ayumi stands by while watching a "shooting star" (actually Joe and Jet Link reentering Earth from space) with a small child. When the child asks what her wish is, Ayumi replies, "Peace." When Joe wakes up recovering from his coma inflicted by his reentry into Earth's atmosphere, he has a flashback of Ayumi smiling at him before running off into the distance, symbolizing Joe's acceptance of their separation and gaining closure from letting go of his past. Notes * The small child standing next to Ayumi near the end of the graphic novel is possibly implied to be her and Joe's child in this incarnation of Cyborg 009, as the child himself physically resembles his father down to their hairstyles. * Ayumi herself is a new addition to Joe's history, as other incarnations of the "009" character did not have a girlfriend in his backstory. The closest possible counterparts would be the Mary character from the manga, who was only stated to be a friend, and Midori Aoba from the Cyborg 009: SF Roman light novel, whose death had set him on the path to delinquency. Category:Cyborg 009 (Graphic Novel) Category:Female characters Category:Humans